depression Archives - Claire Cutler Casey

Do you want to get by or do you want to get better? Is food intolerance getting in your way?

Food intolerance may only be the start of the story……. Do you want to get by or do you want to get better_

Food intolerance is on the rise, with nearly 20% of the population believed to suffer symptoms including:

- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Rashes
- Runny nose
- Bloating
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Reflux
- Hot flushes

Food sensitivity testing identifies the foods the body is struggling with and elimination diets can provide some relief, however, food may only be the start of the story.

In Traditional Chinese medicine the stomach is the ‘home of emotions’, where we experience a vast array of emotional responses.

Consider a time you were nervous, did you experience butterflies in your stomach?

butterflies are a common sign of anticipation, excitement and nervousness

The stomach is the organ that begins processing all the nourishment we take in, be it physical or emotional. Metaphorically we ‘chew things over’ before swallowing, if we take on board something that is against our better judgement it can leave a bad taste in the mouth and decisions or situations that are indigestible to us, can cause emotional upset, making the stomach churn. If we cannot let something lie it can repeat on us resulting in physical and emotional pain as we go over it repeatedly, dissecting it to look for other information to support our decision.

emotions

Exploring our emotional diet alongside our physical nutrition creates a robust mechanism for supporting the body to better digest physical food, build emotional resilience and eliminate emotional situations that do not nourish us.

What emotional sustenance are you taking in that is not nourishing you? Are you self-critical, do you compromise your own values to maintain the status quo or are you holding on to some anger or resentment from previous experiences? Do you get stomach ache, headaches, nausea, diarrhoea or constipation? Do you suffer with IBS or bloating? Does your body react uncomfortably to the food you eat?

Whilst elimination diets provide a respite for your physical body they do nothing to address the emotional strain your body is experiencing, in fact, the added pressure of reading labels, checking restaurant ingredients and ensuring foods you can eat are accessible, whenever you need them, can create additional stress, increasing the body’s sensitivity to foods. The relationship between food intolerance and stress is difficult to untangle, ironically they ‘feed’ each other, dragging you down in the perpetual cycle.

Reducing the amount of stress and emotional turmoil you experience every day gives your body a greater opportunity to heal because every extra bit of stress perpetuates the downward spiral, be it stress from food or life.

Break the cycle, create space for the healing to begin.

out of order

In your personal kinesiology food sensitivity session you will receive a full kinesiology session to balance your system, before we go on to test over 150 common foods, to ascertain which ones are the most stressful to your system, helping you to eliminate these from your diet for a specified period, allowing your body space to recuperate.

During this period you might choose to address other emotional issues to support the healing process, it’s up to you, it really depends on how quickly you want to get back to the life you love.

Food sensitivity

We will discuss your concerns. You will receive practical tips and support to take away with you, enabling you to deal differently with the foods and situations that are not supporting your health. You’ll also receive valuable insights into the mechanisms your system has created to help you cope and what you can do (or stop doing) to improve your own comfort and build resilience, helping you take it one step at a time so you can build on your success everyday.

woman Jumping

So, ask yourself, do you want to get by, or do you want to get better?

Claire Cutler-Casey is a professional Kinesiology Practitioner and Touch For Health instructor as well as delivering a variety of business and well-being workshops designed to help you navigate the process of change.

If you would like to book a 1:1 Kinesiology session, please click here.

You can also join our online community here.

The essence of wellness

Through the years I have used various vibrational essences to support and enhance my own sense of personal well-being, creating the essence of wellness, here is my personal top ten.

Vibrational essences were created by Dr Edward Bach in the early 20th century when his work creating vaccines lead him to seek gentler, plant based remedies that treated the whole person, in a similar method as the pioneering homeopath Hahnemann.

Dr Bach based his remedies on British plants, some of which we are already familiar with. Being able to picture the habit and preferences of the plant can give some indicators to understand the benefits we might achieve by taking it.

Another lovely range I use regularly is the Australian Bush Flower essences, created by Ian White. Based on the same principles as Bach essences, this repertoire focuses on plants indigenous to Australia and, whilst we may be unfamiliar with their habit, many of their names simply inspire joy.

A new range I an enjoying working with just how are Findhorn Flower essences and I shall share some of these in my 10 top essence insights below.

Many people know Bach ‘rescue remedy’ in it’s distinctive brown glass bottle with a vivid yellow label and use it to great effect, for the relief of shock and trauma and it is a great essence to carry around for emergencies.

Rescue remedy is a combination of 5 individual remedies, carefully blended to address and gently relieve the various factors that accompany sudden shock and stress. Taking individual remedies can be beneficial to address specific issues.

“Healing with the clean, pure, beautiful agents of nature is surely the one method of all which appeals to most of us” – Dr Edward Bach, 1936

Depression – Mustard (Bach)

Throughout my life I have experienced unexplained periods of depression which came over me like a black cloud, lifting just as unexpectedly, after several days.

Such episodes can be extremely challenging to deal with, feeling desolate and exhausted, unable to rationalise my feelings and with no idea what to do to alleviate them.

Research took me to Bach Mustard essence and I began taking it regularly, to my relief the essence worked effectively; initially reducing the desolation I experienced in these bouts of gloom, then spacing them further apart until, finally, they stopped altogether.

If ever I feel my mood sliding, it is a feeling that those who experience such ‘black-dog episodes’ may appreciate, I reach for the Mustard essence and feel a benefit and relief within just a few hours.

Change – Walnut (Bach)

Transitions in life have rarely been easy for me, I find change tricky, especially where I feel I lack autonomy or find myself stuck in a habit that I cannot seem to break, however strong my desire.

Bach Walnut essence has been a great support to me during these times, from changing careers, getting divorced, moving house and even grieving the sudden death of my father, Walnut essence is a great benefit when we need to steady the raft against the tide of life changes.

Commitment – Wedding Bush (Bush)

An intriguing essence which strengthens personal commitment to relationships, goals and life purpose. I think of it as dedication in a bottle.

Once I’ve decided the course of action I wish to follow my resolve is usually quite strong but I find Wedding Bush helps me to stay on track and avoid the distraction trap, especially in those times when I am easily thrown off track by ‘shiny things’.

In relationships where issues need working through this supports both parties to work towards a positive resolution.

Spontaneity – Little Flannel Flower (Bush)

I am a planner, I realised in my late teens that my planning had become compulsive, I planned so much I had planned the joy out of my life. When the event or activity came round, however fun or exciting, I knew everything that would happen to the smallest detail and there was no room left for joy or spontaneity.

Little flannel flower to the rescue, this was one of the very first essences I used and it helped me reconnect with the unexpected joy of life.

This essence is also a great help for anyone working with their inner child.

Endurance – Ginko (Findhorn)

I came across this lovely essence quite by chance and it quickly became a firm favourite.

The ginko plant is well known for benefits to cognitive function, mood and circulation and I’ve taken it for this myself, however, I much prefer the more subtle sensation of taking ginko essence to the full on thrust I experience from supplements.

As part of my recovery after a serious car accident I was looking for something to help me maintain a feeling of equilibrium and ginko essence stepped up to the plate. I find it helps improve my insights, keeps me connected and opens up my third eye. Fabulous.

Remember – Isopogon (Bush)

A few years ago I lost my memory in a car accident, it was a true test of wills for me as my memory had always been very reliable and extremely clear. To suddenly find myself without it was a huge shock.

Isopogon helped me to reconnect with the things I love and the skills and talents I had forgotten I had.

To be fair this remedy is equally beneficial to those who are just struggling with poor recall, it’s like gently and gracefully ascending the escalator and arriving on the sales floor full of all the stuff you’d forgotten you love.

This remedy is also useful in past life work, especially when working to reconnect with ancient wisdom.

Surrender – Snowdrop (Findhorn)

I can be a stubborn fighter sometimes, digging my heels in, resisting change I am not convinced about. Whilst there is nothing wrong with fighting to protect the things we believe in, it can be exhausting and relentless.

Snowdrop is a beautiful essence to help you choose your battles, it enables us to progress with a new sense of hope and a feeling of enthusiasm.

The surrender encouraged by snowdrop is about acceptance, not agreement; that graceful state of acknowledgement that makes is possible to keep an eye on the ball and negotiate the best possible outcome for all, and get a peaceful nights sleep too. The perfect assistant in creating the essence of wellness.

Hormones – She Oak (Bush)

One for the ladies, She Oak has been extremely valuable to me to help regulate my hormones and relieve many associated issues including mood swings, PMT, Peri-menopause, hormonal acne and disturbed sleep. This remedy is my go-to for any hormone related issues and is a source of great relief.

She Oak is also recommended in the treatment of infertility.

Emergence – Ancient Yew (Findhorn)

If you know anything about the Yew tree it is likely to be its long mystical associations. Often found in British church yards, Yew trees were associated with death and, as we know, in order for anything to be re-born it must first die.

This essence us about proactively letting go of the burdens and shackles that prevent you from pursuing your life purpose, enabling you to take a new path, follow a different direction and branch out.

Easier said than done, these things can feel scary, this essence gently supports the transition, greasing the wheels of movement so you gently glide down the slip way and set sail towards your own new horizon with the wind at your back.

Anchor – Earth Star Chakra (Happy Healing Hut combination)

The final essence in my top ten is a stunning combination I created for my Chakra workshop day. Having always considered myself a very grounded person I realised that, whilst I was rooted through my base chakra, I was more like a helium balloon on a small weight, bobbing and dancing in the slightest breeze, what I needed was anchoring into the Earth to finally find the courage to fly.

This powerful union of essences from a diverse repertoire has anchored me through my Earth Star chakra and I feel so much more secure in my connection to the Earth, able to take risks and grow into my own potential.

Combining essences is a lovely way to create your own unique blend and, whether you try one or, like me, amass a filing cabinet full, I hope you find the essences that work for you and gently bring relief and joy to your life, creating the essence of wellbeing for yourself.

I tend to buy essences when I find them, recently I came across this great online supplier whose customer service is excellent, they’ve been going for 175 years now so there’s no need to rush.

Find more about Dr Edward Bach here

Qi – Unravelling the mystery

get into the flow of the wu-wei, the space where attainment is easy, achievement without effort.

Qi (pronounced chee) is the universal force of life, responsible for movement, motivation, reproduction and growth. Contained in all living organisms, in many ancient philosophies it is disturbances in the manifestation, movement, retention and dispersal of Qi that lead to dysfunctions in the person, creating dis-ease and discomfort.

Qi combines with Jing (the substance of transformation) to create our individual constitutional make up, it is both supporting and nourishing, , helping every cell in our body to reproduce and perpetuate the 7 year cycle of transformation in women (8 years in men), imbuing organisms with potential, the possibility of development.

Nothing rests, everything moves and vibrates, pure energy vibrates at different frequencies, as can most easily be seen in the light spectrum, with different frequencies creating different colours.

Even at rest your body is transforming, taking in air, expelling carbon dioxide, cleansing blood, releasing hormones, generating T-cells, extracting nutrition from food, sorting thought the issues of the day. That these processes happen effortless in our sleep reminds us that life is a space of constant change and our ‘job’ is to find the most graceful, peaceful ways to find our own personal state of balance, to get into the flow of the wu-wei, the space where attainment is easy, achievement without effort.

Energy is no one force or thing, 32 distinct types of qi have been identified, they combine to create ‘the one Qi’ also known as prana or life force; found in all living things, it has five main functions:

Movement – including physical agility, dexterity and coordination
Protection – on all levels including physical, emotional, biochemical, physiological, energetic and spiritual
Harmonious transformation – the graceful and consistent transformation from one state to another
Retention of substances and organs – your body’s physical ability to contain itself and function optimally against both internal and external forces, such as gravity, inertia etc.
Temperature regulation – imbalances are more at times of menopause when hot flushes are accepted as an expected symptom.

Qi come from 3 main sources:

It is transferred between parents and child at the moment of conception, it is partly responsible for our inherited constitution. Stored in the kidneys it combines with jing to determine our unique constitution, personality and make up.

It is derived from the digestion of the food we eat. Consider your personal constitution when eating fast food, a plant rich diet, excessive carbohydrates. Does your mood change? How is your digestion when you eat on an argument? Qi is not just about the composition of our bodies it affects how we feel in our bodies.

It is extracted by the lungs from the air we breathe. Do you feel different in specific locations? Are you affected by a polluted city, an air conditioned building, a forest, being on or near the water.

5 main types of Qi include:

Organ Qi – each organ has its own distinct qi and metaphorical associations
Meridian Qi – normal or upright qi as it flows through the superficial meridian system .
Nutritive Qi – an essential force in the nourishment of the body, this qi transforms nutrients in the blood
Protective Qi – described as being ‘fierce and bold’ it resists and combats ‘external pernicious influences’
Ancestral Qi – aids and regulates rhythmic movement of breath and heart beat.

Exploring and understanding the factors that influence your unique Qi blueprint enable you to address your own well-being and health aspirations from a completely personalised perspective. Creating a bespoke personalised combination of techniques and simple lifestyles adjustments enables you to address your own unique situation from an informed perspective, where you can use your unique understanding of your own story to realise your full potential.

Join us as we dive deeper into the mysteries of Qi, learn how to identify your own imbalances and bring them back to harmony to help you more easily get into the flow of the wu-wei. For full details of the next workshop, please click here

If you would like to book a 1:1 Kinesiology session, please click here.

You can also join our online community here.

Hydration, why it’s never too late to re-hydrate

Hydration, why it’s never too late to re-hydrate. Your body is approximately 70% water, we are the most amazing pieces of organic engineering, creating power, strength, resilience and sustainability out of water.

Your brain and heart are approximately 73% water and your lungs are about 83% water.

If your car or your mobile phone ran on water you’d make sure they were fully recharged every day, to ensure you have all the power and functionality you need, yet we still find it difficult to drink enough water to stay hydrated and function well.

it's never too late to rehydrate

Water is fundamental to our survival, not liquid, just water.

As soon as you add anything to water it becomes a food, then it must pass thorough the whole of your digestive system before the water can be extracted.

Think of it like legos. A cup of coffee is constructed from some water bricks, some coffee bricks, some milk bricks and some sugar bricks all bonded together. The blocks can be broken apart again but that department is in your small intestine. So all the tissues that make up the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum don’t get any direct hydration from the liquid you drink, they have to wait a few hours and hope they get some from the water that is absorbed through the lining of the small intestine, and into the blood stream. They have to join the queue only, now, they are at the other end.

Your hydration is important to us, you are held in a queue and may be answered ... eventually

Meanwhile your body is performing at much less than optimum, because everything that your body does uses water. There is not one single bodily function that does not rely on hydration.

Think about that for a moment. Every thought, action and breath. Literally every thing your body does relies on water.

Signs of dehydration include

Fatigue, weight gain, reduced mobility, aches and pains, headaches, inability to concentrate, fuzzy head (like a hangover), irritability, dry skin, chapped lips, wrinkles, flaky skin, halitosis, poor urination, urinary tract infections, constipation, acid reflux, indigestion, changes in blood pressure, nausea, dizziness, increased resting heart rate, poor memory, slower response times, reduced dexterity, depression, anxiety, tension, mood swings, confusion…… and the list goes on.

Understanding the bodies need for water and the impact that can have on our system it’s time to get real.

How much clear, pure water do you drink, every day, and how much do you need?

Using a baseline of average adult (I know you’re not average, I know you’re amazing) but let’s use average as a starting point.
The average adult needs about 4 pints of water a day.
This adult is having a fairly decent time of things, no stress, no caffeine, no bugs to fight off, sleeping and eating well and taking moderate exercise.

So if you have stress, stimulants, illness or take more exercise you will need more water to keep you hydrated. How much is difficult to say but there are rules of thumb that we can use to help

For every cup of coffee drink twice as much water again – for 250 ml coffee drink 500 ml extra water
In times of stress drink more water, stress is very dehydrating. Drinking more water reduces the anxieties around stress and also helps the body recover more quickly from the effects.
Working out – drink more water. Yes, you’re sweating but did you know that water is responsible for the elasticity in muscles? If you’re really interested in building resilience into your workout – drink more water.
Feeling ill, recovering from a bug or laid up with something – drink more water. If the bug creates mucus, your body is using water to make that. If your body is fighting something off, your immune system uses water to make and distribute the anti-bodies to the internal battlefield, and to clear away the debris to keep your system clear.

As you run through the calculations you may begin to wonder how you’re going to have time to drink all that water, here’s the pay-off.

The better hydrated you are the better your system functions.

Stress reduces so extra water intake can too, drinking more water means you are naturally drinking less coffee because there are only so many hours in a day, right?
This reduces stress (again) so you will need less water.
Your sleep improves so, yes, you guessed it, you’re less stressed and so you need less water.
Your immune system functions better so you get less bugs so you need less water to be well hydrated.
You lose weight so your body requires less water to move you about.

In a fairly short period of time you reach that sweet spot of balanced hydration, where 4 pints of water a day is enough to keep you hydrated and you are more responsive to your bodies need for extra water as/when required.

It’d never too late to rehydrate and experience the benefits that decent hydration has on your physical, emotional and biochemical systems.

So, what are your waiting for?

Hydrate, sleep well, live better

If you would like to book a 1:1 Kinesiology session, please click here.

You can also join our online community here.

Kinesiology: What, Where, When & How

The purpose of my kinesiology practice is to help you get into the natural flow of life, known as the Wu Wei in traditional Chinese medicine, meaning ‘without effort’.

In the west we talk about being ‘in the zone’ or ‘in the flow’ and you may already have some experience of that; that feeling of everything going smoothly, seemingly without effort, this is what we work towards with kinesiology; creating sustainable internal harmony that enables you to be the best version of yourself, achieving whatever you wish with ease, grace, calm and contentment and supporting you to handle the ups and downs of life, effortlessly.

I work 1-2-1 with clients, in my cosy clinic on the rural outskirts of York, in the North East of England.

I also offer Touch for Health Kinesiology Training, CPD workshops and monthly circle gathering designed to help you get the most out of yourself and the seasonal energies that are most active at the time.

Kinesiology is an interactive, non-invasive therapy, as a client you remain clothed throughout (you may choose to remove your shoes). We sit together and undertake a short, thorough consultation, to ensure all relevant information is captured, we then discuss the changes, both subtle and profound, that you are interested to address in your personal journey.

I then take you gently through the process of muscle testing, allowing you all the time you need to adjust to a space where, finally, the whole of your system can get involved in creating and accessing your own unique solution.

Together we’ll explore the binary muscle monitoring system. This is the foundation of all kinesiology practice and you can ask all the questions you need as we go along.

Then, together, we check which aspects of you are already working towards the changes you wish to make and which aspects need some help to do that.

Kinesiology embraces a comprehensive range of techniques drawn and adapted from various disciplines, as well as plenty of its own. Your system will indicate which technique(s) are needed. You may also be given simple techniques as homework. Homework reminder sheets are provided to help you.

After your session we check in to see how you’re feeling, you may feel some changes immediately and some may need time to evidence.

After your session you can carry on with your day and, when it comes time to go to bed, you may feel more tired than usual. My advice is always to listen to the needs of your body; it is possible that your system has done some significant work that you might not be fully conscious of, so sleep, restore and allow the changes you have worked on to permeate.

Please contact me to book you own window into your unique world,

I look forward to working with you.

Claire

If you would like to book a 1:1 Kinesiology session, please click here.

You can also join our online community here.

Blog, tips, insights and juicy information…..

Check in regularly for tips and update on how to improve self awareness, emotional resilience and physical performance….

Welcome to my blog, this is a space where I’m sharing insights, tips, information and anecdotes about kinesiology and my journey.

Check in regularly for tips and updates on how to improve self awareness, emotional resilience and physical well being feel in control of your own journey as we travel through each year and, ultimately, progress through the stages of our lives, together.

If you try any of the techniques in the blogs please feel free to share your own constructive feedback

Please, grab a drink, take five and join me for a moment for yourself

Disclaimer: In my blog I share my personal experiences and insights from my journey. Often I reflect on aspects of the human condition and, if my words resonate with you on some level, that is cool.

Please be assured that, if you resonate with it, then many others do too, I have 50 years of life experience to draw on and, like they say in the movies, any resemblance to actual persons or situations is purely coincidental.

gentle balanced wellbeing for website (3)

If you would like to book a 1:1 Kinesiology session, please click here.

You can also join our online community here.